Freeware tool for Microsoft ISA Server 2004 monitors network users’ Internet activity in real time

London, UK, 17 June 2004 – GFI has released a new version of GFI WebMonitor for Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server 2004. GFI WebMonitor is a lightweight tool, designed as a plug-in for ISA Server, that allows administrators to monitor – in real time – the web sites being browsed by network users and the files they are downloading. It also enables administrators to block connections to particular sites. GFI is offering this product as freeware.

Internet access control made easy
GFI WebMonitor is an ideal solution to transparently exercise a degree of control over users’ browsing habits and ensure legal compliance – in a manner that will not alienate network users.

Traditional Internet access control tools tend to be either full-blown user-based web filters that are cumbersome to administer and expensive to buy, or log file analyzers that are awkward to use and do not allow for real time monitoring and blocking. With GFI WebMonitor, the process is simple: administrators simply need to type “http://monitor.isa” in their browser to see a list of current and recent connections on Microsoft ISA Server (HTTP and FTP triggered from web browsers). Administrators can cancel a current download or browsing session simply by clicking on the “block connection” button.

“Companies must exercise some control over their network users’ web browsing habits, yet traditional Internet access control products are expensive and cumbersome, and do not leverage the functionality that ISA Server already has. GFI WebMonitor, on the other hand, is very simple to use and does not duplicate what is already in ISA Server, making it a perfect companion to ISA Server 2004,” said Nick Galea, GFI CEO.

Seamless integration with ISA Server
GFI WebMonitor is a native plug-in for ISA Server 2004 and 2000, meaning that deployment is easy and no additional configuration is required. The product functions as a web filter and takes advantage of the ISA Server APIs, reducing administration and guaranteeing reliability and performance.

“One of the great things about ISA Server 2004 is its extensibility, meaning that it’s fully capable of accepting many innovative and effective security add-ons to help customers protect applications against new and emerging threats,” said David Gardner, Business Development Manager in the Security Business and Technology Unit at Microsoft Corp. “GFI WebMonitor provides customers with an excellent option for easily and efficiently determining who is able to access network resources, and we are pleased to welcome this offering to the portfolio of services supporting ISA Server 2004.”

Clear and concise view of Internet activity
GFI WebMonitor offers a complete and compact overview of Internet activity through:

1. URL history view – groups all accesses to a particular URL and lists them according to popularity, displaying the number of hits, file types accessed and the users who accessed the site.
2. Users’ history view – lists all network users and all the URLs they accessed, together with number of hits and the distribution of their web browsing over the day.
3. Web access view – shows all web access in detail either currently in progress, or for the day.

Web-based interface
Authorized users can monitor Internet traffic from anywhere in the network and configure GFI WebMonitor accordingly; there is no need to install any client software to access GFI WebMonitor.

How to get a freeware version
GFI WebMonitor is freeware: No license fees are due and it is not limited in any way. Further product information and the freeware download are available at http://www.gfi.com/webmon/.